The present invention relates to a flagging device useful in monitoring the time that a food item has been on a grill, and a method of using that flagging device.
Sausages and hot dogs are widely known and consumed foodstuffs that have been adapted to informal and fast service food preparation and sale. In particular, Americans are well known for eating of hot dogs, usually served by preparing sausages and buns and inserting the sausages into the buns.
As fast service restaurants have developed in the United States, attention has been turned toward improved methods and apparatus for preparing foodstuffs, including hot dogs. Grill apparatus of varying kinds, including heated rollers and rotisserie structures have been developed and used in efforts to meet requirements for fast food service of sausages and buns, such as hot dogs in buns.
Representative of one such grill apparatus is the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,485, titled xe2x80x9cDevice for Cooking Food,xe2x80x9d which is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.
In the making and retailing of grilled food items, a common problem is quality assurance.
Food grill systems often have two grills. One grill is for cooking the foods, and the other grill is to keep food warm at a lower temperature. Food is usually cooked in batches every hour, every three hours, depending on business.
For instance, in the making and selling of hot dogs, one must be concerned about how long a hot dog has been on a grill, waiting to be sold. Normally it only takes twenty minutes to cook a hot dog, then the hot dog is placed on a warm grill. If the hot dog remains on the grill too long, it becomes unappealing in look and texture. The texture becomes tough, the hot dog loses flavor, and the hot dog becomes hard to bite. After about 4 hours, the hot dog is no longer considered edible. Taste tests have revealed that the hot dogs should be dumped after three hours on a warming grill.
The problem is keeping track of how long a food item has been on a grill. In a busy retail environment it is hard to keep track of which food items were placed upon the grill at what time. An object of this invention to provide a means for monitoring the time that a food item has remained on a grill system.
While cardboard markers have been used to monitor the time that a food item has been in a storage bin, those cardboard markers would not be of use in monitoring the time that a food item has been on a grill.
The present invention provides a food flagging device useful for monitoring the time that a food item has remained on a grill system, such as a rotary grill system. The food flagging device comprises a flag stem having a time identification means that is attached thereto or is containing therein, a magnet support platform that is either attached to or is contiguous with the flag stem, and a magnetic means attached to the magnet support platform.
The magnetic means has a magnetic field that is sufficiently strong to hold the food flagging device to a metallic surface, such as stainless steel. The food flagging device, and its separate components, needs to be heat-resistant and capable of being sanitized.
Preferably, the flag stem is made of either stainless steel or plastic.
Preferably, the time identification means is a numeric identification means having an integer number of from 1 to 12. Preferably, that time identification means is engraved into the flag stem.
Preferably, the magnet support platform is contiguous with the flag stem, and the magnet support platform is made of either stainless steel or plastic.
Preferably, the magnetic means is attached to the magnet support platform by means of a heat-resistant, water-resistant adhesive.
In the preferred method for using this food flagging device, a food item is placed upon a grill system and the food flagging device is placed near that food item and identifies the latest time the food item should be removed from the grill system. Then the food item is removed from the grill system either before or at that identified time.
In an alternative method, a food item is placed upon a grill system and the food flagging device is placed near that food item and identifies the time the food item was placed upon the grill system. Then the food item is removed from the grill system by a time that is the sum of the time identified by the food flagging device and the maximum time that the food item should remain on the grill system.
In either embodiment, preferably the food flagging device is placed between the food item and other food items that are either previously placed or to be placed upon the grill system.
Preferably, the food item is a hot dog that has already been cooked. Such cooked hot dogs should not remain on the grill for more than three hours from the time the hot dog was placed upon the grill.